Items
Tag
Chinese painting
-
Xian'e Changchun Album - Lotus and Butterfly Lang Shining was an Italian who entered the Jesuit order as a novitiate at the age of 19. He studied both painting and architecture. He arrived in China at the age of 27 and came to serve the Ch’ing court as a painter. He excelled at painting figures, birds and flowers, and especially dogs and horses. This is the 13th leaf from his Album of Flowers. Colorful lotus blossoms bend gently in the breeze and form a companion for the caladium water plant for a full, rich scene. Butterflies fly among them to add a fresh, cool touch to the scene. The artist fused Chinese and Western techniques. The use of Western colors, in addition to Western chiaroscuro and perspective, make for a dedicated scene that is life-like and richly colored. -
Xian'e Changchun Album - Bean Flower and Wheat This album consists of sixteen leaves divided among blossoms of the four seasons and scattered with rocks, birds, insects, and other plants. The subjects appear to have been taken from scenes in the imperial gardens, and all of them appear to have been meticulously arranged. The placement of the main and subsidiary subjects is also rendered perfectly and the coloring is gorgeous, making this work a masterpiece synthesizing the best of Chinese and Western painting traditions. -
Xian'e Changchun Album - Bamboo and morning glory This album consists of sixteen leaves divided among blossoms of the four seasons and scattered with rocks, birds, insects, and other plants. The subjects appear to have been taken from scenes in the imperial gardens, and all of them appear to have been meticulously arranged. The placement of the main and subsidiary subjects is also rendered perfectly and the coloring is gorgeous, making this work a masterpiece synthesizing the best of Chinese and Western painting traditions. -
Pine and Cho-yüeh In this painting is a depiction of a bird known as a “cho-yüeh” perched alone on an outcropping by a magnificent pine, turning its head with wing outstretched to preen its feathers. This bird is native to the regions west of China. The bird in this painting was taken back to court from the region of I-li and presented by the official A-kuei. The imperial poem inscribed on the painting is also found in the Ch’ien-lung emperor’s published collection of poetry. Composed in 1763, we thus know from this poem that Castiglione was 75 at the time painting was done. -
Ten Dogs Depiction, Spotted Magpie The painter is especially well-known for his rendering of figures, flowers, birds and loger-than-life size horses and dogs. His distinctive style mode use of Chinese tools and materials to paint largely Chinese motivfs. The results were more emphatically realistic than the native Chinese tradition. -
Ten Dogs Depiction, Frost Harrier This work depicts a frosty-colored hunting dog standing on a slope under white plum blossoms. Being nimble, it was named "Sparrow Hawk," hence the title here. Castiglione combined the tools and materials of Chinese painting with Western perspective and chiaroscuro for naturalism also expressing spirit. The opulent colors and forms thus make for a realistic effect. (20120102) -
Ten Horses Depiction, Snow Scattered Eagle Castiglione was commissioned to create portraits of fine horses presented as tribute from vassal states to the west for the Ch’ing court. Painted almost life-size, his use of Chinese techniques also incorporates Western methods of chiaroscuro and perspective, making the life-like colors and forms convincing. The portrait of the Ch’ih-hua-ying horse is one of set of 10 from 1743. -
Ten Horses Depiction, Red Flower Eagle Castiglione was commissioned to create portraits of fine horses presented as tribute from vassal states to the west for the Ch’ing court. Painted almost life-size, his use of Chinese techniques also incorporates Western methods of chiaroscuro and perspective, making the life-like colors and forms convincing. The portrait of the Ch’ih-hua-ying horse is one of set of 10 from 1743. -
Entertainment Scenes in Yuanmingyuan in Twelve Months, Yongzheng This is a group of works showing the daily life of Emperor Yongzheng, arranged in the order of 12 months in spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The paintings are mainly landscape pavilions, and the architectural descriptions are delicate, including Chinese garden buildings and Western pavilions. Terraces and pavilions, and even those who combine Chinese and Western, the landscape of the picture may be created by the painter combining the architecture of Yuanmingyuan with his imagination. -
Shanshui Giuseppe Castiglione employed the techniques of Western painting in doing this landscape painting. As a result, the three-dimensional effect of the mountains, rocks, trees and houses is far more apparent here than in other traditional Chinese landscapes. -
A Brocade of Spring Radiance In this painting is a mountain stream flowing down to where pheasants and decorative rocks are seen. By and on the rocks are various flowers, bamboo, and spirit fungi. The subject matter is auspicious for the start of a prosperous New Year and an allusion to the expression “A Brocade of Spring Radiance”－hence, the title of this painting. -
Xian'e Changchun Album - Cherry Apple & Magnolia This album consists of sixteen leaves divided among blossoms of the four seasons and scattered with rocks, birds, insects, and other plants. The subjects appear to have been taken from scenes in the imperial gardens, and all of them appear to have been meticulously arranged. The placement of the main and subsidiary subjects is also rendered perfectly and the coloring gorgeous, making this work a masterpiece synthesizing the best of Chinese and Western painting traditions. Selected for exhibit here are the fourth leaf on the subject of crab apple and magnolia blossoms along with the sixth leaf rendering yellow rose and bleeding heart blossoms. The signature on this album done in Sung-script style suggests it was done by Giuseppe Castiglione sometime between his arrival in China around 1715 and the early Ch’ien-lung reign (1736-1795). -
Xian'e Changchun Album - Chrysanthemum This album consists of sixteen leaves divided among blossoms of the four seasons and scattered with rocks, birds, insects, and other plants. The subjects appear to have been taken from scenes in the imperial gardens, and all of them appear to have been meticulously arranged. The placement of the main and subsidiary subjects is also rendered perfectly and the coloring gorgeous, making this work a masterpiece synthesizing the best of Chinese and Western painting traditions. Selected for exhibit here are the fourth leaf on the subject of crab apple and magnolia blossoms along with the sixth leaf rendering yellow rose and bleeding heart blossoms. The signature on this album done in Sung-script style suggests it was done by Giuseppe Castiglione sometime between his arrival in China around 1715 and the early Ch’ien-lung reign (1736-1795).